Maryland General Assembly poised to send sweeping climate change legislation to Gov. Hogan, under threat of veto

A sweeping piece of climate change legislation that would push the state to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels is expected to land on Gov. Larry Hogan’s desk this week — in time for Democratic General Assembly leaders to override a veto that the Republican executive has hinted is coming. The bill sets a 2031 target for the state to reduce its carbon footprint to 60% below 2006 levels, make the state carbon neutral by 2045 and require owners of large buildings to take steps to significantly reduce or offset use of fossil fuels by 2030. It also invests in youth conservation work and creates a “green bank” to help fund clean energy projects around the state.